Books › A dictionary of violin makers, 1896 › scan 24
Scan 24
A dictionary of violin makers, 1896
11 lines. Read by computer on 27 September 2026. Printed page 16. See the scan on archive.org.
1varnish. Label: "Marcus Antonius Cerin, alumnus Anselmii Belosii, fecit Venetiæ, an. 1793."
2Ceruti, Enrico, son of Giuseppe Ceruti, b. 1808; d. Oct. 20, 1883. Worked in Cremona at 14, Via Borgo Spera. Said to have made about 365 instruments, amongst others several violoncellos; the work is good, and Italian orchestral players especially value his instruments highly. Was awarded silver medals at London, 1851 and 1870, for his violins, and a gold medal, 1863, at Cremona. The last violins that he made were exhibited in Milan in 1881.
3Ceruti, Giovanni Battista, b. about 1755, Cremona; d. 1817. Pupil of Lorenzo Storioni, to whose business in the Via de' Coltellai, near Piazza San Domenico, he succeeded in 1790. Following the principles of his master he made very good instruments; altogether, violins and violoncellos, they number about 500. He copied the model of Nicola Amati, using yellow varnish, sometimes with a reddish tinge; his work was carefully finished. Label: "Jo. Battista Ceruti, Cremonensis, fecit Cremonæ, an. 18—."
4Ceruti, Giuseppe, son and successor of Giovanni Battista, b. about 1787; d. 1860, Mantua. He exhibited violins of good quality at Paris and elsewhere, but he has not the same reputation as his father; he more especially occupied himself with repairing old violins.
5Challoner, Thomas. Worked in London in the 18th century. His instruments are similar to those of Wamsley.
6Champion, Jean Baptiste. A maker in Paris in 1783.
7Champion, René. A maker in Paris, in the rue des Bourdonnais, in 1731; in the rue des Odriettes, in 1756. His workmanship was extremely pretty, and carefully finished; he used fairly good yellow varnish, similar to that of Boquay, of whom he is said to have been a pupil. Labels: "René Champion, rue des Bourdonnois à Paris, 1735"; and "René Champion de St.-Julien, rue des Vieilles-Odriettes au coin de l'échelle du temple à Paris, 1748."
8Chanot, François, son of a musical instrument maker in Mirecourt, b. 1787, Mirecourt; d. 1828, Rochefort. After being in the Ecole polytechnique, he entered the French navy as engineer; being retired on half-pay, owing to some satirically-written political verses, he went back to Mirecourt, and in the workshops of his father came to the conclusion that violins might be constructed on more scientific principles. He made one, only slightly arched, with the sound-holes nearly straight, and the sides less curved in, more like the sides of a guitar, the idea being to keep the wood-fibres as long as possible, as being better for vibration. A violin of this pattern was submitted to the Académie des Beaux-Arts and the Académie des Sciences in 1817; after three trials it was favourably judged, the tone being of superior quality. He was awarded a silver medal in 1819. Unfortunately, violins on this model are now of poor quality; the tone, though excellent when they are first made, does not last. 1824, he was recalled to active service and was shortly afterwards promoted to the higher grade of an engineer of the first class. The letters C.I.D. on his label are the initials of his title, "Capitaine, Ingénieur, Deuxième classe." A violin which he made in 1818 for Viotti and a violoncello are in the Paris Conservatoire collection.
9Chanot, Georges, a brother of François, b. March 26, 1801, Mirecourt; d. Jan. 10, 1883, Courcelles, near Gif (Seine et Oise). He first worked in Mirecourt, but in 1819 went to Paris and for a year constructed violins on his brother's new model; then (1820) worked under Clément, and (1821) was employed by Gand, whom he left in 1823 in order to start business on his own account, living first rue Oblin près de la Halle au blé, then Place des Victoires (1825-28), Passage Choiseul (1828-37), rue de Rivoli (1837-48), and finally quai Malaquais. He retired from business to Courcelles in 1872. He was twice married, the second time in 1859; his first wife also made violins, working with great assiduity and rendering her husband valuable aid. Chanot made a careful study of old Italian instruments, and was excellent at repairing or modifying them. His new instruments are beautifully made and have a fine tone, they are chiefly copies of Stradivari and Guarneri; the former are the best, the wood being excellent. Was awarded: Mention honorable, 1827; silver medal, 1839, 1844, 1849 (of the second class), 1855. Labels: "Chanot jeune, rue Passage Choiseul, No. 15, à Paris, 1825," and "Georges Chanot à Paris, 1, Quai Malaquais, année 1855."
10Chanot, Georges, son of Georges Chanot
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